St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-18
A BLooDLEss BATTLEFIELD.
The Sham Battle Was a Success
in Every Way.

I'M nv "a " cy
Those who have been in the field of
battle, where bullets flew and where
there was something harder than smoke
coming from the mouth of the cannon,
say that the sham battle was as near an
imitation of the genuine article as can
be had with blank cartridges. All that
was lacking was the ping of minnie
bullets and the bursting of bombs, with,
of course, the blooGShed that is their
natural result. The movements of the
opposing forces were the true battle
field movements, complete in all the de-
tails and executed after the manner of
regular armies when they meet to
slaughter one another in deadly COM
bat. 1t is said to have been better
representation of actual war than most
sham battles are. In the minds of the
5000 and mere veterans who took part
it called up the shadows of the dim past,
and it sent their blood through their
veins in quicker action than it had
flowed for years. 1t was war itself with
none of wars results.
The battlefield was the level plain
within the race track, where the grass
is green, and which may be seen from
rising land Oh two sides of it as well as
from the grand stand. Down to the
south Of the grounds, where Camp Nc
Gill is pitched, was the rendezvous for
all the troops, and OH the long, level
field near by. the veterans were drawn
in companies, as they came. 1t was
earlier than o'clock when the officers
on horseback were first to be seen gal
loping about and getting the line in
readiness. Muskets were distributed
from the ordnance officers tent and for
an hour or more the distribution of ord
nance was going on. Gen. LuciuS
Fairchild, of Wisconsin, who COM
manded one of the opposing armies,
was early Oh the field,
HIS ARNLESS SLEEVE
pinned across his breast and his bright
buttons and epauletS glancing full and
fair in the afternoon sunshine. the pic
turo of a commanding soldier to whom
the sights of war were old. Gen. Lew
Wallace, who was to have commanded
the army against Gen. Fairchild, did not
appear, and Col. Joseph Bobleter, of the
Second Minnesota regiment, was made
commander in his stead.
1t was little after o'clock when the
fofces of Col. Bobleter moved out from
the rendezvous, marching in column up
across the field out to the road and
through the st. Paul entrance to the
grounds. There they marched down the
principal street and up through the gate
to the track enclosure and around to the
east end of what was a little later the
battlefield. Here the hospital tents
were pitched, the battery stationed and
the officers headquarters established.
Hardly had this been done when Gen.
Fairchild's troops were stationed in the
west end of the grounds, over beyond
the track and just outside the woods,
near the state farm. 1t was mile be-
tween the extreme forces of the two
G7n,es. Allegorically Fairchild COM
manded the I1roi. I1rioc;; ;::s:iy, ard Rohleter
the supposed Confederates. Across he
field an earthen breastwork had been
thrown up, as defense forthe army to
the east, commanded by Col. Bobleter;
for, by the plan of the battle, Gen. Fair
chlid's army was to be the attacking
force. Behind the earthwork line of
men was stationed, muskets in hand,
the entire width Of the field. Bobleter's
reserve forces were stationed in two